1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to edge bead processing apparatus and methods for processing microelectronic substrates. More particularly, the present invention relates to edge bead processing apparatus and methods for efficiently processing microelectronic substrates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common in the art of microelectronic fabrication, and in particular in the art of semiconductor integrated circuit microelectronic fabrication, is the use of edge bead processing apparatus and methods. Edge bead processing apparatus and methods are desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication insofar as edge bead processing apparatus and methods provide microelectronic substrates which are generally either edge bead protected or edge bead de-protected, such as facilitate further processing of the microelectronic substrates which are processed employing the edge bead processing apparatus and methods.
While edge bead processing apparatus and methods are thus clearly desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication and often provide considerable value in the art of microelectronic fabrication, edge bead processing apparatus and methods are nonetheless not entirely without problems in the art of microelectronic fabrication. In that regard, as microelectronic fabrication substrate dimensions have increased, edge bead processing apparatus and methods have often become inefficient in edge bead processing microelectronic substrates.
It is thus desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication to provide edge bead processing apparatus and methods for efficiently processing microelectronic substrates.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
Various edge bead processing apparatus and methods have been disclosed in the art of microelectronic fabrication.
Included among the edge bead processing apparatus and methods, but not limiting among the edge bead processing apparatus and methods, are edge bead processing apparatus and methods which encompass more generally edge bead processing apparatus (see, e.g., Wangler et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,401), more generally edge bead processing methods (see, e.g., Liu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,457), as well as generally both edge bead processing apparatus and edge bead processing methods (see, e.g., Jones et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,778 and Henley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,328).
Desirable in the art of microelectronic fabrication are additional edge bead processing apparatus and methods which provide for efficient edge bead processing of microelectronic substrates.
It is towards the foregoing object that the present invention is directed.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an edge bead processing apparatus and an edge bead processing method for edge bead processing a microelectronic substrate.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an edge bead processing apparatus and an edge bead processing method in accord with a first object of the present invention, wherein the edge bead processing apparatus and the edge bead processing method provide for efficient edge bead processing of the microelectronic substrate.
In accord with the objects of the present invention, there is provided by the present invention a plurality of edge bead processing apparatus and edge bead processing methods for edge bead processing a microelectronic substrate, wherein the plurality of edge bead processing apparatus and edge bead processing methods provide for efficient edge bead processing of the microelectronic substrate.
In general, the plurality of edge bead processing apparatus provide, at least in part, for a simultaneous edge bead processing of all portions of an annular edge ring within a microelectronic substrate absent movement, such as rotation, of the microelectronic substrate within the edge bead processing apparatus. The edge bead processing apparatus of the present invention realize the foregoing result by employing within the edge bead processing apparatus at least one of a fluid nozzle and a reflective optical apparatus which are configured to achieve the foregoing result. Under circumstances where a substrate is a nominally circular planar substrate, such as in particular a nominally circular planar semiconductor substrate, the foregoing result is achieved employing a conical fluid nozzle and a conical reflective optical apparatus. Since the present invention thus precludes a need for relative motion of a microelectronic substrate with respect to a fluid nozzle or a reflective optical apparatus within an edge bead processing apparatus when edge bead processing the microelectronic substrate while employing the edge bead processing apparatus, the edge bead processing apparatus provides for enhanced efficiency when edge bead processing the microelectronic substrate.
The plurality of edge bead processing apparatus of the present invention contemplate a corresponding plurality of methods for edge bead processing a microelectronic substrate while employing the plurality of edge bead processing apparatus in accord with the present invention.